Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

NOTES ON THE NEGRO SCHOOL IN WILLIAMSBURG 1760-1774

The Charity School started in Williamsburg in the autumn of 1760 by "Dr. Bray's Associates,"¹ London, had as its purpose to instruct Negro children in Williamsburg in the doctrines of the Episcopal Church and to teach them to spell, read and write.

Early in 1761 William Hunter, the printer of Williamsburg, wrote to the Reverend John Waring, London, one of the committee of "Dr. Bray's Associates," in which he outlined the progress in the past six months of the Negro school:

Wmsburg Virginia Feby 16. 1761.

"Sir
I received some Time ago a Letter from Mr Franklin informing me that I had been nominated as one of their Managers of a School to be erected here, for the Education of Negroes in the Christian Faith &c. Mr Dawson, Commissary and Minister of this Parish, received at the same Time your Letter, on the same Subject. We consulted together and agreed with Mrs Anne Wager for the opening a School at Michaelmas last, which was accordingly done. We judged that the 2 Allowance of £20 Sterling was not sufficient, we gave the Mistress therefore the whole Sum as a Salary, and Mr Dawson undertook to raise Ten Pounds Sterling by Subscription for the Payment of House Rent. But he dying soon after, nothing had been done to that Purpose …

As I did not approve of raising the additional Money, by a petty Subscription, I have not attempted it, but am myself liable for the present Year… I would therefore recommend it to them to increase the Allowance to £30 Sterling, if they would maintain the School in any tolerable Credit…

…
The School was opened with 24 Scholars, (as many I think as one Woman can well manage). Their Progress and Improvement in so short a Time, has greatly exceeded my Expectations, and I have Reason to hope that the good Intentions of the Associates will be fully answered by the Care and good Conduct of the Mistress.

At present I stand single in this Undertaking, but Mr Yates being last Week elected Minister of the Parish in the Room of Mr Dawson, I shall communicate to him your Letter, and doubt not his Concurrence.——As it was the Intention of the Associates to nominate three Trustees. [Suggests Robert Carter Nicholas be appointed to the Trustees of the school in Williamsburg.]

The Mistress was paid one Quarter's Salary at Christmas, for which I have given Mr. Tarpley 3 an Order on you …

Be pleas'd to assure the Associates of my hearty Endeavors to further their good Designs by making this Establishment, at present in its Infancy, as generally beneficial as possible …
Wm Hunter."¹

Nicholas accepted the Trusteeship and in due time became almost sole manager. Hunter died in 1761. William Yates followed Dr. Dawson on the committee. At the death of Yates in 1764, the Rev. James Horrocks joined the committee. In 1773 Josiah Johnson was appointed. He was followed by John Bracken. Nicholas stayed on from 1761 to 1774 when the school was discontinued.

In 1762 Nicholas and Yates drew up certain rules by which the Mistress and the School should be governed. The children were to come from homes of inhabitants of Williamsburg; they were to wear the same uniform when at school if possible; Mistress was responsible for conducting the children to church with Bibles and Prayer Books; be at school at 7 A.M. in winter half year and 6 A.M. in summer half year; teach spelling, reading and writing with especial attention to religious instruction. Mistress was to teach the female Negroes knitting and sewing. The age of the children was from 3 to 8 years; and average time they were 4 in the school from 6 months to 2 ½ years.¹

Each year Nicholas sent detailed letters to the "Associates" in London giving his opinion of the progress of the school, the diligence of the Mistress, number of scholars in the school and general financial conditions.²

In 1762-1766 the Negro school was conducted in a house of Dudley Digges³ in Williamsburg for which the Trustees paid £8 per year. By the latter part of 1765 the School moved to a house of Mr. President Blair⁴ which was larger. The rent for this house was £12 per year. They continued in Mr. Blair's house, apparently, to 1774 when the school was discontinued after the death of the Mistress, Mrs. Wager.⁵

Little is known about Mrs. Anne Wager, who was employed by William Hunter as Mistress of the Negro School in Williamsburg. An account to Mrs. Ann Wager "By Schooling my Children two years" appears in the Account Book of Carter Burwell 1748-1752. Though this account covered four years in which Burwell paid Mrs. Wager, he referred to only two years in which she gave service as school mistress.¹

Thomas Wager who died in Williamsburg 1725² may have been the husband of Mrs. Anne Wager. Robert Carter Nicholas writing to the "Associates" in London on September 19, 1765 remarked that "The Mistress [Mrs. Anne Wager] is pretty much advanced in Years & I fear Labours of the School will shortly be too much for her … "³ Nicholas wrote in 1774 to London stating that Mrs. Wager had died and he was paying her son-in-law, Matt Hatton, her salary due at her death.⁴

Mathew Hatton of Williamsburg, sometimes designated as Mathew Watts Hatton, owned 4 lots on Capitol Landing Road in 1762 via Mathew Moody.¹ His wife's name was Mary. He sold in 1762 to Alexander Finnie.² In 1786 he paid tax on personal property in Williamsburg. He was a carpenter.

Appendix #1.

SR 896 SPG Dr Bray's Associates. American Papers 1735-1774…2. 1761-1774
M-297

[11]	Dr The Associates of the late Revd Doctr Bray in Acct with Ro. C. Nicholas.
Decr 1761	To Cash pd Mrs Anne Wager the Mistress 2/4 yrs Salary	£14
---
June 1763	To Cash pd Colo Dudley Digges for a yrs Rent	£ 8
---
Apl 28, 1764	To Cash pd Colo Digges for Rent	8
May 8, 1765	To do pd Colo Digges for Bal Rent to the time the Mistress moved from his House in Decr	6-13-4
---
Jan 1766	To Cash pd Mr President Blair for Rent	12-0-0
Decr 27, 1766	To Cash pd Mr President Blair for Rent due 25th Inst	12-0-0

N.B. the yrs Rent pd Colo Digges in June 1763 was due the Apl. before.

SR 896 SPG Dr Bray's Associates. American Papers, 1735-1774…2. 1761-1774.
M-279

[14]
Ro. C. Nicholas, Williamsburg, to the Rev. Mr. John Waring, London, 16 Feb. 1769.

"…Mr Hunter had fix'd the Mistress's Salary at £7 a Quarter, a Sum for 30 Scholars, much less than is paid for schooling in this City to other Mistresses; but, as Mrs Wager had no House of her own, she was at first allow'd £8 currt Money more to pay for the Rent of a House, which was much too small for such a Number of children; however she continued in it as long as it was tenable; I was then obliged to rent the House, where she now resides, of Mr President Blair, for twelve Pounds Currt Money."

"Dr The Associates of Doctor Bray
1773

Novr 17th 1774. Ro. C. Nicholas"

[5] A List of Negro Children at the School established by the Associates of the late reverend Doctr Bray in the City of Williamsburg — Mrs Anne Wager — School Mistress

Wmsburg, 30th Sepr 1762

[11] A List of Negro Children who are at the Charity School in Williamsburg. Novr 1765

[14]
Negroes now at the School [16 Feb. 1769]